Programming Forums > Application Development > Visual Basic

chepfaust · Feb 27th, 2005, 2:15 AM

ok here's something confusing the heck outta me. i'm making a random password generator of sorts, giving the user the option of numbers, lowercase letters, uppercase letters, or any combination thereof. there's more to the program than this obviously, but this is the relevant code i have set up to complete this task:

(Toggle Plain Text)

Function Random(Lowerbound As Long, Upperbound As Long)
Random = Int(Rnd * Upperbound) + Lowerbound
End Function

...

Let route = Random(1, 3)
            If route = 1 And chkuppercase.Value = 1 Then ' generate an uppercase letter
                For r = 1 To txtLen.Text
                    Let m = Random(65, 90)
                    output = output & Chr(m)
                Next r
            End If
            If route = 2 And chklowercase.Value = 1 Then ' generate a lowercase letter
                For r = 1 To txtLen.Text
                    Let n = Random(97, 122)
                    output = output & Chr(n)
                Next r
            End If
            If route = 3 And chknumber.Value = 1 Then ' generate a number
                For r = 1 To txtLen.Text
                    output = output & Random(0, 9)
                Next r
            End If

i don't know if anyone can understand what exactly i've done with the code or the role of all the variables, but allow me to tell you what happens as a result of execution:

1. a random number within the respective ASCII range (uppercase 65-90, lowercase 97-122) is stored in variable m or n. m corresponds to uppercase letters, n with lowercase letters.
2. a chr(m) and chr(n) statement (is supposed to) append the corresponding character or number to string 'output.'
3. string 'output' ends up consisting of a bunch of gibberish hash marks and non-alphanumeric characters. sometimes i do get actual numbers or text, but not often.

so, any ideas as to why i'm not getting actual alpha/numeric output all the time? all i could find in my own research was somebody using a non-system font having this problem, but i tried terminal, times new roman, lucida console, ms sans serif; every default font i could think of but it didn't make a difference.

i suspect there may be a problem with my randomize function...?

thanks

Ooble · Feb 27th, 2005, 5:45 AM

Your random-number function is a little dodgy - it should do this:

(Toggle Plain Text)

Random = Int(Rnd * (Upperbound - Lowerbound)) + Lowerbound + 1

chepfaust · Feb 27th, 2005, 12:04 PM

i'll try that, thanks.

edit: ok, it DOES work now, and i've just realized that my code is utter crap and under perfect circumstances it wouldn't really make a random string anyway lol

back to the drawing board...

Rory · Mar 2nd, 2005, 5:31 AM

Don't forget to seed the generator:
randomize(timer)

Best way of generating passwords in my opinion is to have a biggish text file of words (you can get all sorts with a little googling), and shove them together with a few other characters so you get more memorable things like south27cow and hello@cheese etc.

Ooble · Mar 2nd, 2005, 5:19 PM

I take it you had a free Period 3?

chepfaust · Mar 2nd, 2005, 10:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rory

Don't forget to seed the generator:
randomize(timer)

Best way of generating passwords in my opinion is to have a biggish text file of words (you can get all sorts with a little googling), and shove them together with a few other characters so you get more memorable things like south27cow and hello@cheese etc.

what does the "randomize(timer)" aspect do? i've just been using "randomize" to seed the generator, and it seems to work...

Ooble · Mar 3rd, 2005, 1:35 PM

It does exactly the same thing as just Randomize.

Rory · Mar 10th, 2005, 1:56 PM

What it does is.... random (sorry)

orez35 · Nov 21st, 2006, 3:39 AM

I need a program created to generate phone # lists to be imported into a fax broadcasting program. The area code and exchange #'s are known, but I need a program to generate all of the possible combinations for the last four digits.

Feb 27th, 2005, 2:15 AM	#1
chepfaust Programmer Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 62 Rep Power: 4	displaying random characters ok here's something confusing the heck outta me. i'm making a random password generator of sorts, giving the user the option of numbers, lowercase letters, uppercase letters, or any combination thereof. there's more to the program than this obviously, but this is the relevant code i have set up to complete this task: (Toggle Plain Text) Function Random(Lowerbound As Long, Upperbound As Long) Random = Int(Rnd * Upperbound) + Lowerbound End Function ... Let route = Random(1, 3) If route = 1 And chkuppercase.Value = 1 Then ' generate an uppercase letter For r = 1 To txtLen.Text Let m = Random(65, 90) output = output & Chr(m) Next r End If If route = 2 And chklowercase.Value = 1 Then ' generate a lowercase letter For r = 1 To txtLen.Text Let n = Random(97, 122) output = output & Chr(n) Next r End If If route = 3 And chknumber.Value = 1 Then ' generate a number For r = 1 To txtLen.Text output = output & Random(0, 9) Next r End If Function Random(Lowerbound As Long, Upperbound As Long) Random = Int(Rnd * Upperbound) + Lowerbound End Function ... Let route = Random(1, 3) If route = 1 And chkuppercase.Value = 1 Then ' generate an uppercase letter For r = 1 To txtLen.Text Let m = Random(65, 90) output = output & Chr(m) Next r End If If route = 2 And chklowercase.Value = 1 Then ' generate a lowercase letter For r = 1 To txtLen.Text Let n = Random(97, 122) output = output & Chr(n) Next r End If If route = 3 And chknumber.Value = 1 Then ' generate a number For r = 1 To txtLen.Text output = output & Random(0, 9) Next r End If i don't know if anyone can understand what exactly i've done with the code or the role of all the variables, but allow me to tell you what happens as a result of execution: 1. a random number within the respective ASCII range (uppercase 65-90, lowercase 97-122) is stored in variable m or n. m corresponds to uppercase letters, n with lowercase letters. 2. a chr(m) and chr(n) statement (is supposed to) append the corresponding character or number to string 'output.' 3. string 'output' ends up consisting of a bunch of gibberish hash marks and non-alphanumeric characters. sometimes i do get actual numbers or text, but not often. so, any ideas as to why i'm not getting actual alpha/numeric output all the time? all i could find in my own research was somebody using a non-system font having this problem, but i tried terminal, times new roman, lucida console, ms sans serif; every default font i could think of but it didn't make a difference. i suspect there may be a problem with my randomize function...? thanks

Feb 27th, 2005, 5:45 AM	#2
Ooble I eat cake for breakfast. Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: In my box. Posts: 4,434 Rep Power: 9	Your random-number function is a little dodgy - it should do this: (Toggle Plain Text) Random = Int(Rnd * (Upperbound - Lowerbound)) + Lowerbound + 1 Random = Int(Rnd * (Upperbound - Lowerbound)) + Lowerbound + 1 __________________ Me :: You :: Them

Feb 27th, 2005, 12:04 PM	#3
chepfaust Programmer Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 62 Rep Power: 4	i'll try that, thanks. edit: ok, it DOES work now, and i've just realized that my code is utter crap and under perfect circumstances it wouldn't really make a random string anyway lol back to the drawing board... Last edited by chepfaust; Feb 27th, 2005 at 3:49 PM.

Mar 2nd, 2005, 5:19 PM	#5
Ooble I eat cake for breakfast. Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: In my box. Posts: 4,434 Rep Power: 9	I take it you had a free Period 3? __________________ Me :: You :: Them

Mar 3rd, 2005, 1:35 PM	#7
Ooble I eat cake for breakfast. Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: In my box. Posts: 4,434 Rep Power: 9	It does exactly the same thing as just Randomize. __________________ Me :: You :: Them

Mar 2nd, 2005, 5:31 AM	#4
Rory Expert Programmer Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: London Posts: 542 Rep Power: 4	Don't forget to seed the generator: randomize(timer) Best way of generating passwords in my opinion is to have a biggish text file of words (you can get all sorts with a little googling), and shove them together with a few other characters so you get more memorable things like south27cow and hello@cheese etc.

Mar 10th, 2005, 1:56 PM	#8
Rory Expert Programmer Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: London Posts: 542 Rep Power: 4	What it does is.... random (sorry)

Nov 21st, 2006, 3:39 AM	#9
orez35 Newbie Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 3 Rep Power: 0	I need a program created to generate phone # lists to be imported into a fax broadcasting program. The area code and exchange #'s are known, but I need a program to generate all of the possible combinations for the last four digits.

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Programming Forums > Application Development > Visual Basic

displaying random characters